Gigi Salad on Whole Wheat Flatbread with Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread

Another yummy dish from Napa!  This is an awesome and healthy salad served on a whole wheat pita with a hummus type spread. Again don’t let the length of the recipe scare you. The salad is excellent all by itself. The dressing is so fabulous. If you look it only has 1 Tbsp oil. The combination of the orange, grapefruit and lemon is so tasty. The pita is also delicious and can be used in other recipes. The spread is also great with pita chips. I am a big fan of artichokes and LOVE this spread.  You could purchase pita bread to use in place of the flatbread, but this flatbread recipe rocks!  Thanks to Connie Guttersen for the recipe!

Gigi Salad on Whole Wheat Flatbread with Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread
For Citrus Vinaigrette:

• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp agave syrup or honey
• 1 pinch chile flakes
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp garlic, chopped
• 4 Tbsp celery, diced
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, cooked (frozen and thawed)
• 4 oz low fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ can (15.5 oz)  BUSH’S® Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (reserve ½ can for salad)
• 1 pinch cayenne (optional)*
• 2 Tbsp chives
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For Salad:

• 2 cups hearts of palms, washed, sliced across the grain
• 2 cups orange segments (approximately 2 oranges)
• 1 cup jicama, julienne
• 1 lb shrimp, cooked (size: 21 – 25 per lb)
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds, arials
• 1  each avocado, cut in ¼ lengthwise, then in ¼” pieces
• ¼ cup scallions, cut on bias, thin
• 2 cups butter lettuce, cut into ½” x 2” wide strips
• ½ can (15.5 oz)  BUSH’S® Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 each whole wheat pizza dough flatbreads
• 2 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. For Citrus Vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and whisk. Season with salt and pepper.
2. For Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread: Heat olive oil in small sauté pan over medium heat.
3. Add garlic and celery and cook until garlic is aromatic, approximately 20 seconds.
4. Add artichokes and sauté until artichokes are slightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.  Set aside and cool in refrigerator.
5. Combine cream cheese and ½ can of beans in food processor.  Add *optional cayenne.  Process until smooth.
6. Add in cool artichoke mixture.  Puree until slightly chunky. Add chives.  Season with lemon juice and salt and pepper.
7. For Salad: Combine hearts of palm, orange, jicama and shrimp in large bowl; season with salt and pepper.
8. Dress salad with 4 tablespoons citrus dressing.
9. Gently mix in pomegranate seeds, avocados, scallions, lettuce and ½ can of beans.  Adjust seasoning.
10. Spread creamy white bean and artichoke spread on warm whole wheat flatbread.
11. Serve salad on top of flatbread.
12. Garnish with toasted almonds and season with salt and pepper.

Culinary Notes:
For Salad

• Mix up the ingredients to make this a seasonal favorite. Use oranges and pomegranates in the winter.  In the summer, replace orange with mango, peach or nectarines. Replace pomegranates with radishes.

For Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread

• Use as a spread on sandwiches or flatbreads.

Variations:
For Salad

• Use raw shrimp, sauté over high heat in a non-stick pan with a little oil.
• Deglaze with 2 tablespoons citrus vinaigrette.
• Replace shrimp with strips of chicken breasts.

For Vinaigrette

• Replace grapefruit juice with orange juice.
• Add 1 shake of Tabasco.
• Replace red wine vinegar with white balsamic vinegar.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough for Flatbreads

• 1 tsp agave syrup or honey
• 1 ½  cup water, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 ½  cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Combine agave syrup, water and yeast.  Let sit 5 minutes until yeast starts to bloom.
2. Add flours, olive oil and salt.  Mix in stand mixer with dough hook for 3 minutes on low.  Turn to medium and mix for 8 minutes.  Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is sticky.  It should not stick to your hands if you handle it.  Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Punch down dough and portion into 3 ounce balls.  Spray a parchment lined sheet pan with non-stick pan spray. Place balls evenly spaced on sheet pan.  Cover with parchment.  Let sit in refrigerator until ready to cook.  15 minutes prior to cooking remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
4. Preheat oven to 500°F, if using pizza stone or baking tiles, place on lowest rack in the oven.  If not, place sheet pan on lowest rack in the oven.
5. On lightly floured surface, pat out dough evenly with fingers to form a circle, being careful to keep hands flat to prevent poking holes in dough.  The circle will be approximately 6”.
6. Sprinkle dough with cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Place on hot tiles or pizza stone.  Bake until just puffed and slightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.
7. Serve with salad on top or use as flatbread for a sandwich.

Culinary Notes:

• The dough will be slightly wet but should easily leave the bowl.
• Do not add salt directly into yeast mixture. Place salt on top of the flours.  Salt will kill the yeast and prevent it from rising.

Variations:

• Preheat the grill.  Lay pizza dough on grill, cook to mark, flip and finish cooking on other side.
• Replace agave syrup with sugar or honey.